Thursday, December 31st, 2015
The 2015 Book Roundup!
~ Part Two ~
For Part One of my 2015 year in books, you can scroll down to see the previous post...
Life as a children's book author and illustrator is a busy balance of story, sketch and painting deadlines, mixed with travel and events that often include speaking in schools, bookstores, libraries and at conferences. Oh, and you have to find a little time to live your life as well.
While I was busily bouncing back and forth between home, schools and book festivals last spring, I was working on sketches and paintings for my new book Ten Hungry Pigs. This book takes place in the same world as my last book Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure. I'll show much more about it in early 2016 as our May pub date draws closer. But for now... back to the events.
In April I was off to Waupaca, Wisconsin to speak and sign at the Waupaca Book Festival. As a part of the festival, I visited some of the local elementary schools and learning centers. It was a really terrific time!
Where's Derek? That would be me in the middle of a whole lot of elementary school kids. I fit right in!
Meeting a new young friend at the festival on Saturday.
I returned home to Minneapolis where, in early May, we had a launch party for my newest book Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure at Red Balloon Bookshop. There was cake, there was reading, there's always drawing and a whole lot of fun!
In mid May I was off to Houston, Texas to speak in schools down there. They were getting torrential downpours at the time, so there was flooding everywhere.
It's always nice to get a welcome on the school's sign! I visited two elementary schools in Houston.
Many thanks to Robin Hoffman and Pam Weinberg from Scholastic Book Fairs for organizing every last detail of this trip and the visits there.
I flew back to Des Moines, Iowa and hopped a ride to Ames for a few school presentations and a signing event for my new book Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure.
Audiences are often unpredictable. You don't really know how they'll react to anything you talk about. One audience might know every book I've made and another might only be familiar with one or two books. I have to be prepared for either. But one thing happened at United Community, just outside Ames, that's never happened before.
Suann Evans, the school's art teacher (and a longtime friend of Cheryl and I) had just introduced me. I stepped up in front of the audience, said a few words and a young, preschool-aged girl who was sitting in the front row jumped to her feet, ran up and threw her arms around me! I've never had anyone rush the stage before! It was really very sweet. I helped her back to her seat in the front row and continued (below).
I got to meet some new friends at the events on the weekend. The Iowa State University Book Store has hosted events for my books from the very beginning. Endless thanks to Amy DeLashmutt, the Marketing and Customer Service Manager, and a longtime friend of mine.
We had a really nice crowd show up at the bookstore!
After presenting my new book, it was time to meet, greet and sign- always one of my favorite parts of book events.
I also presented and signed at the Ames Public Library that afternoon. The library has changed so much since my visits there as a kid growing up in Ames. Their mission hasn't changed at all. It's just a terrific place to visit.
I returned to Ames a couple weeks later to speak to a group of retired teachers that my mother belongs to. There are so many teachers that made an impact on my life and my Mom means everything to me.
I returned home after that string of appearances to finish the paintings for my new piggy book.
In July I did two readings on the Historic Minneapolis Trolley. These are ticketed events coordinated through the Wild Rumpus Bookstore in Linden Hills. I've done those a few times now and they're just a blast. Thanks to Drew Sieplinga for once again arranging a terrific time.
The following Sunday I did a reading down on the field at the Saint Paul Saints game. We had a fun surprise visitor- Pigasso, the Saints' live mascot. It was very special since my book is about pigs. I gave Pigasso some scratches on the head. The Saints were profiled in Publishers Weekly afterward for their endless support of literacy (along with the photos from our special piggy day). You can read the article HERE.
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My buddies Roger and Riley Bothwell came along and we got to hang out and enjoy the game afterward.
In October, I flew off to Edwardsville, Illinois for a school visit at Trinity Lutheran School. I spoke to groups from Pre-K up through 8th grade. Though my books tend to be for younger audiences, the language of creativity is universal. I can speak to anyone about it. If they're interested and engaged, there's an endless world of ideas to explore together.
My last event of the year was an annual celebration held in Tulsa, Oklahoma called Books to Treasure. Each year they select one book and give copies to every second grader in Tulsa County. This year, they chose Hot Rod Hamster: Monster Truck Mania! They then bring the artist to Tulsa to speak to groups of second graders in schools ending with a big public event on Friday night.
The schools had done a great job of preparing the kids for an author/artist visit. They knew my books well and they came to the presentations armed with questions.
This school had a television hooked up to the computer which worked out great. Sometimes the only room available in a school is filled with sunlight and a digital projector can never compete with the brightness of a room that simply won't darken.
Catching a little air in Tulsa...
Answering questions from the audience at Connor's Cove theater on Friday night.
I always love the chance to visit with my readers. Nearly 400 people came to the theater that night, so the line to get books signed was long, but not a single person complained. They were such a great group of readers and parents!
Many thanks to Angela Fox and Marianne Stambaugh for organizing this amazing event and for choosing Hot Rod Hamster: Monster Truck Mania! as their book. Thanks also to Cathie Sue Anderson and Marilyn Tullis for their excellent driving skills and fun conversation. Thanks to Kim Johnson for her introduction and hosting skills at Connor's Cove. And special thanks to the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation for making this amazing event possible.
And finally, I was asked by the folks at Hats & Mittens to create an image to celebrate and promote their 20th Anniversary winter ball. Our good friend, Rachel Nash, has been on the board for many years, so we're well aware of how important this organization is. Hats & Mittens not only collects hats and mittens for children in need, but also helps raise funds for other small and emerging non-profits. This year they chose the Minnesota Sinfonia so they asked if I would create an image that had something to do with music.
Cheryl and I attended their winter ball on December 30th at the Radisson Blu in Bloomington and you can see the snowman image above projected on the screens during the event. It was such a cool night and all for a great cause. Many thanks to Rebecca Sundquist and our friends, Derek and Rachel Nash, for inviting us to take part in the great evening.
2015 has been such a fun year of exciting events and creative endeavors. I'm looking forward to a whole lot more fun in 2016! Thanks, as always, for tuning in!
Wednesday, December 16th, 2015
Derek near the top of Diamond Head in Honolulu, Hawaii, January 2015
The 2015 Book Roundup!
~ Part One ~
When I was trying to get published years ago, I never dreamed that writing and illustrating children's books would come with so many requests for public speaking. It's not something that's required by any means. And it's certainly not for everybody. You have to be comfortable in front of audiences of all sizes. And you have to develop an approach and presentation that's entertaining and informative and will work with younger audiences as well as older ones.
I began speaking in front of school age kids when I was still in high school. My mother, who was a third grade teacher, used to invite me to her classroom to speak about art. Now, speaking to students has become a big part of my job. This year alone, I've spoken to groups at schools and book festivals in seven states.
My first school visit of 2015 was in February in Clive, Iowa, which is part of Des Moines. The schools generally decide how to divide up the groups. I love doing the large groups because there's a fun energy when you have a giant room full of kids.
These three young ladies were responsible for introducing me to the groups at their school. They each had their own script and they did such a great job!
Signing for young readers after the presentations. Huge thanks to Becky Pashek at Walnut Hills for all her planning and preparation!
The next day I spoke at Shuler Elementary, also located in Clive, Iowa. These four were given the task of introducing me to each of the groups at Shuler. They're all kids of friends of mine from college. The Moore boys are on the far end and on this end is Sarah and the tall guy in the middle is her brother, Charlie. Their scripts were not written by me. They were written by my college roommate, Mike (Charlie and Sarah's father). I couldn't wait to see what they were going to say. They were great!
One of my favorite parts of every presentation is the question and answer portion near the end. It's so interesting to hear what kids are curious about. I'm often amazed by the depth of their questions.
At Shuler, they asked if I would have lunch with small groups of students from each grade level. I love doing those special lunches. They're often kids that have been selected because of their interest in writing or illustrating. It's a way for me to visit with them on a deeper level and answer questions they didn't get to ask during the sessions with the large groups. This was a very special lunch for me- the teacher on the left is Cheryl (Jacobson) Stillman, one of my high school classmates. Cheryl was a great friend in high school and it's amazing to see her with her students now. Special thanks to Christi Taylor who went out of her way to make this an extra special day!
I traveled from Des Moines to Madelia, Minnesota where I was greeted by this giant bulletin board in the entry of Madelia Elementary.
February weather in Minnesota is always unpredictable. When I woke up on the morning of this school visit, there was freezing rain and I wasn't sure they would even have school. Luckily, they did.
The funniest thing happened at this school. I was signing books after the presentation when a first grade boy came walking up with his copy of Hot Rod Hamster. After signing it for him, he handed me a dollar bill and said, "Hey, good job drawing today."
It took a second for me to register what was happening. "Are you giving me a tip?" I asked. He stood there with the dollar bill extended and a big smile on his face. Of course I couldn't accept it. The teachers and I had such a laugh. That was a first. I've never had a kid try to give me a tip!
Many thanks to Anne Lundquist of the Watonwan County Library in St. James for all her hard work arranging this visit.
Hooked on Books was the next big February event. They choose one author each year who travels around and speaks to school groups in the western Twin Cities school districts. They then hold a giant Saturday event where there are literacy and art related activities, a book signing and all kinds of fun.
This was the tenth anniversary of this terrific program. They commissioned me to create an illustration to promote the event. It was a really fun project. I was given complete freedom- it only had to incorporate the theme Hooked on Books... and the Arts, too! This is the illustration I created for them...
I spent Thursday and Friday that week travelling around to schools and speaking to students about writing and illustrating books. I began with younger groups...
But most of them were second and third graders.
And then we had the big event on Saturday at the high school. This was such an amazing day. More than two thousand people came to celebrate reading, literacy and the arts.
There was a constant line of young readers to greet.
We took a short break from signing so I could get up and say a few words about creating books. I also did a drawing demonstration for the audience.
And then back to signing. I love meeting the many young readers of my books and their parents.
Grabbing a moment with Lori Kendall, the Queen of Hooked on Books, master of ceremonies, consummate host and all around great lady. This woman does not miss a detail. Every time I saw her she asked, "What do you need, what can I get you?" And if it wasn't her, she was sending someone else to ask. Nothing, Lori. I don't need a thing. You're amazing.
I just love this picture. Kids gathered around one of the tables of books poring over the illustrations in my books.
I had a week and a half to get caught back up on my book deadline before I flew off to San Francisco to speak in schools there. The flight wasn't much fun for me or the guy sitting next to me. As soon as we took off, he got sick and proceeded to have air sickness off and on for the entire flight. It made me long for a nice, normal flight where I'm just cramped and miserable. It was a full flight so I couldn't move to another seat. I was sitting on the aisle and while my seat mate heaved into a bag, the flight attendant came up and asked me to let her know if things took a turn for the worse. "Worse?" I said. "Like what?" I couldn't imagine how any of this could get any worse. I was never happier than when that plane landed and I could get off.
I spoke in two schools in the Bay area. It was so beautiful there and it was good to escape the Minnesota winter, even for a couple days. Many thanks to Theresa Frei and Robin Hoffman at Scholastic Book Fairs for arranging these visits.
I enjoy traveling (usually) and I love speaking to kids. But it's especially nice, when I've been gone, to come home to Cheryl and my best friend, Louie! I just love this little guy!
That was my life for the first three months of the year. Part 2 is coming soon...
Monday, October 26th, 2015
The Making of
HOT ROD HAMSTER'S
Spooky Halloween Cover!
There's a little bit of magic in painting. When you put colors and shapes together and add light, shadow and the boldness of a personality, characters spring to life on the page. Because Halloween is fast approaching and we have a new Hot Rod Hamster Halloween adventure out in the world, I wanted to give a peek behind the scenes and a little glimpse into the making of a book cover.
The cover is almost always the last thing we create for a book. It begins with multiple rough sketches. I try to choose an image that will both represent the story and grab the reader's attention. Once we settle on a direction, I create a tight sketch...
Because this book is part of a series, we needed the artwork to work with the title layouts we'd already established for previous books. So our art director, Marijka, sent me a template with the titles in place.
Notice the cobwebs on the car. I added them to push the spooky Halloween effect. After discussing it with my editor, Emily, and Marijka, we decided that detail suggested the car had been sitting still for some time. Anybody who has ever read a Hot Rod Hamster book knows Hot Rod Hamster does not sit still. He's one speedy little Hamster who loves to go fast, so we got rid of the cobwebs.
I create artwork in many different ways, but the Hot Rod Hamster covers are all done in acrylic paint on Arches hot press watercolor paper that's cut to size.
The paper is mounted on a board with watercolor tape and once it's dry, I transfer the sketch.
The pencil lines won't show up in the finished painting. They're covered with a layer of gesso (a gritty, white primer that gives the paint something to stick to).
I always begin painting darks first. I quickly lay in a few outlines and rough in the shadows. These outlines will end up getting covered in layers of paint.
As I lay in the colors, I pay very close attention to the light. Since that full moon behind Hot Rod Hamster is the light source, the shadows will be cast into the foreground and the highlights will come in from behind Hot Rod Hamster. Since Hot Rod Hamster is the center of attention and the star of the book, I don't want him to be too dark so I'll keep him light and bright enough to stand out.
When creating pictures, I tend to work very quickly. But painting with wet media takes patience. Whether you're painting in oil or acrylic paints, you have to do an underpainting- meaning an underlying color structure that you can then build the paint up over. It's through layers of paint that you get those rich, vibrant colors with depth and brushstrokes.
Once the underpainting is finished, I can go back in and start building up the paint and color.
Through those refined brushstrokes and layers of paint, Hot Rod Hamster springs to life. Here, I'm adding final touches including his whiskers and highlights. The leaves on the ground were the last thing I detailed. I wanted to be sure I had all the other colors, shadows and details just right.
When the painting is finished I spray it with varnish and mount it on foam core to protect it from all the bumps and jostling it will encounter on the trip to my publisher in New York. I've had packages that were damaged on their trip east so I'm extra careful. These days I package my paintings like they're going to the moon.
Hot Rod Hamster has been such a fun series to create with Cynthia Lord and our amazing team at Scholastic. Cynthia Lord has written one rip-roaring tale after another for our furry Hamster hero. I hope you enjoy Hot Rod Hamster and the Haunted Halloween Party! It's SPOOOOOOKY and fun!
Friday, October 16th, 2015
There's a FUN NEW Piggy Book
Coming in Spring 2016!
And Other News...
Sound the trumpets and the... tubas. There's a NEW book coming in 2016! Ten Hungry Pigs will be published by Orchard Books/Scholastic in April 2016. I would love to tell you more about this book, but I can't. At least not yet. The only thing I can say is- sometimes a pig wants a peanut butter and jelly snack all to himself. I'll tell you a bit more about Ten Hungry Pigs very soon!
I have exciting news for our Spanish speaking friends in the world. Scholastic en español will be publishing Diez Cerdos (that's Ten Pigs in English) in Spring 2016. Now you can splash around and count these crazy pigs in Spanish!
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All the twists, turns and bath-hogging pigs are exactly the same as the English version. It's just as much piggy fun in Spanish!
And speaking of Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure, we received a terrific review from Pamela Thompson, a Texas based book blogger. In her review, she begins...
"Just DELIGHTFUL! Ten Pigs An Epic Bath Adventure is everything
a children's book should be. It's entertaining, fun, charming,
colorful, silly and bursting with heart!"
She goes on to describe the plot of the story and says some other really nice things about the pigs. Many thanks to Ms. Thompson for her kind words. You can read her full review by clicking HERE.
Ten Pigs: An Epic Bath Adventure is available in bookstores and online. Click HERE to order a copy.
Tuesday, September 1st, 2015
The Impact of One Teacher
on a Life
Last spring I was asked by Scholastic Reading Club to create an illustration of my favorite teacher for a project they were planning. I've been very fortunate in my life to have had many amazing teachers all the way through school. But there was one individual that made a huge impression on my life very early on. His name was Tom Berhow.
When I was in kindergarten at Roosevelt Elementary School in Ames, Iowa, I did a crayon drawing of the Easter Bunny. I often show it in schools when I speak because it's the first drawing I ever did where the picture ended up looking like what I set out to draw. This is what I looked like when I was in kindergarten...
And this is the drawing I did of the Easter Bunny...
When I finished the drawing I had to give it to the most important person I could think of. So I took it to the school office and presented it to Mr. Berhow, the principal of my school. Mr. Berhow hung the drawing on his office wall for the rest of the school year. That was when I knew I would be an artist.
It's tricky to portray an individual for an assignment like 'My Favorite Teacher.' I wasn't interested in creating a traditional portrait. A realistic rendering of Mr. Berhow isn't going to communicate anything about the generous, encouraging man that he was. I wanted to get creative with the assignment. I wanted to show the act that changed my life.
What I chose to depict in the illustration was the moment I saw the picture displayed on his office wall. That was the moment I could feel my feet lift off the ground. I've often said that what Mr. Berhow really did through that one simple act was removed gravity from my life. That was when I knew anything was possible. This was the first rough sketch I created.
I have many memories of Roosevelt Elementary School in Ames. But getting the physical details perfect in an illustration is never as important as capturing a moment. It doesn't matter whether the door or paint colors are exactly right. I'm only interested in getting the essence right. I remember exactly where that picture was hanging and what I felt when I saw it.
After completing the illustration in May, I sent it off to Scholastic in New York. It's included in a calendar they produced for the 2015-2016 school year that's being distributed to more than 250,000 teachers across the United States.
What Tom Berhow did that day probably wasn't a big deal to him. It was a small act of kindness in the busy life of an elementary school principal. But it meant everything to me.
Tom Berhow passed away a few short years before I was published. But the impact he made on my life lives on. Thank you, Mr. Berhow. I will never forget you.
Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
There's a NEW
Hot Rod Hamster Book Out Today!
And Other News...
Our fast, furry Hamster hero is back in another new adventure! Hot Rod Hamster and the Haunted Halloween Party! written by the incomparable Cynthia Lord is in bookstores today! I painted the cover and, as with the other Hot Rod Hamster early readers, we brought in Greg Paprocki to create the interior artwork. This early reader has all your favorite Hot Rod Hamster characters returning with loads of spooky fun! Hot Rod Hamster and the Haunted Halloween Party! is the sixth book in Hot Rod Hamster's speedy series.
In other news, Publishers Weekly ran our pictures last week from the Ten Pigs reading at the St. Paul Saints game along with a terrific article about the Saints and their support of literacy. Many thanks to Claire Kirch for the great article! You can see the pictures and read the article HERE.
